Yes in Danbury, Newtown, not Brookfield

John Pirro

Updated 12:10 am, Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Lisa Quinones, sister of candidate Christina Ayala reacts as she learns the the charter revision was defeated while at Christina Ayala's headquarters on East Main Street in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday November 6, 2012. In back is Jose Cabrera.
Photo: Christian Abraham

Next year, Newtown residents will cast separate votes on the town's municipal and education budgets.

In Danbury, voters approved a $55 million bond package that will provide funding for four major capital improvement projects.

But in Brookfield, voters turned down seven of the nine referendum proposals, including several that would have made significant structural changes to town government.

Overall, there were 14 referendum questions facing voters in three area towns on Tuesday-- nine in Brookfield, four in Danbury and one in Newtown.

Only in Danbury did the questions deal with financial issues, as voters were asked to decide on a bond package to expand and renovate three schools, replace and repair several bridges, upgrade the annex at the public library and make improvements to the water system and the wastewater treatment plant.

All four proposals, which were voted on separately, were approved, Mayor Mark Boughton said.

The most controversial proposals, hiring a town manager, increasing the number of selectmen from three to five and electing the first selectman separately from the rest of the board, were defeated.

Unofficial results showed the town manager plan lost by 5,169-3,042, expanding the number of selectmen was defeated 5,169-2,969, and electing the first selectman separately was rejected by 4,193-2,936.

Brookfield residents did approve the recommendation to include non-binding advisory questions on the town and education budgets and to make some technical changes to the charter.

The referendum in Newtown grew out of a long-running drama surrounding the adoption of a budget earlier this year in which residents voted five times before finally approving the combined $106.2 million municipal and education spending package for the 2012-13 fiscal year.